With Halloween just a week away, it’s the perfect time to “boo” someone on your street. No, I’m not suggesting you sneak up on your unsuspecting neighbors and scare them. If you haven’t heard of this concept, it’s pretty simple: Leave some treats on a doorstep along with a ghost, which indicates to everyone that the house has been visited by friendly neighborhood spooks. You’ll brighten someone’s day, and with any luck, you’ll start a chain reaction through your community.
My family recently got “booed” for the first time. I opened the front door one morning to find a bag full of goodies perfectly selected for twin toddlers. There were stickers, glow sticks, lip balm and just a little bit of candy (which I appreciated). With the gift was an anonymous note wishing us a happy Halloween and instructing us to hang the included paper ghost on the front door.
I was excited to repeat the gesture and surprise another neighbor, so naturally, I consulted Pinterest for ideas. The examples I found had very specific instructions: recipients should boo two houses within 48 hours of receiving their gift. While I understand the motive behind these “rules of the game,” I find them slightly off-putting. In my opinion, a genuine gift comes with no expectations. Most people will feel compelled — without any prompting — to pay it forward, but if they don’t, that’s okay. Choosing to give is more satisfying than being coaxed into it, and receiving a gift with no strings attached is better than getting one with a disclaimer.
I digress.
Once our ghost was up on the door, it was time to choose our lucky victims. The nearby neighbors with small kids already had their ghosts, so we decided to target the older couples living on either side of our house. Their grownup treats included a bottle of sparkling cider, Honeycrisp apples, individual packets of caramel dip and a cute little fall bowl I found at the dollar store.
Speaking of which, there’s no need to spend a lot of money on this project. The dollar store can be your one-stop shop for trinkets, toys, sweet treats, seasonal items and even the bag to put it all in. There’s no need to spend a lot of time, either. I could have easily made copies of the note we received, but my creative side just wouldn’t allow it. I had to add my own personal touch, and now you can download my printable file, too!
When it comes to Halloween, I lean toward lighthearted and fun versus creepy and macabre, and that is reflected in this design. (I mean, have you ever seen a friendlier ghost?)
This happy apparition is large enough to be seen from the street, but small enough that it won’t detract from someone’s existing front door décor. The poem gets the point across without explicitly spelling out the instructions:
Fall is here, the air is cool;
’Tis the season for ghosts and ghouls.
Instead of tricks, they’re bringing treats
To neighbors up and down our street!
So hang this ghost for all to see
That you’ve been “BOOED” this Halloween!
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